


More Than Family

by DeanIsABottomDamnit



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 12x12, Angst, Coda, Episode: s12e12 Stuck In The Middle (With You), M/M, No Smut, Post-Episode: s12e12 Stuck In The Middle (With You), ish, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-19
Updated: 2017-02-19
Packaged: 2018-09-25 11:53:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9819227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeanIsABottomDamnit/pseuds/DeanIsABottomDamnit
Summary: What happened after the I love you? Dean finds out just how much he's meant to Cas.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This episode fucked me up hood. So, here you fucking go!

Dean wasn’t sure if Cas had meant for this to happen. He probably only said that he loves Dean because of the heat of the moment. But that’s the problem. Cas had told Dean he loved him. In front of his family, nonetheless. Granted, Cas had verified he loved all of them too, but Dean was sure the first “I love you” was solely meant for him. Just for his sake.

The car ride back to the bunker was awkward, to say the least. Sam was sitting shotgun, Mom and Cas riding in the back. The occasional glances to the backseat confirmed that Cas was staring out the window with his usual poker face. It was always hard to tell what was going through the angel’s mind.

When they had arrived at the bunker, Sam had made some excuse about being tired and had gone to bed. Mom had done the same, leaving Dean alone with Cas. What was he supposed to do? Ignore what had happened? No. He couldn’t do that. He almost lost Cas back in the barn. He smiled at the memory of meeting Cas for the first time, in a barn. He had stabbed The Angel of the Lord without a thought. Look how far they’ve come now.

“Dean? Are you alright?” The sound of Cas’ voice made Dean’s head jerk up. Of course, the guy would be asking him if he’s alright even after being almost dead. Too much heart. And apparently, Dean was a part of that heart too. The thought scared him more than it should have.

“Cas..” He shifted his foot, looking over the angel’s shoulder. “What you said earlier..? Did you mean it?”

Cas sighed. “That I love you? Yes, Dean. Of course I love you. You're family.”

Oh. Cas meant it in a familial way. Why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t as if Dean was worthy of the Angel’s love. Dean knew that. Yet, he couldn’t stop the disappointed feeling. Damnit!

“Oh, okay. Of course you’re family, buddy.” The fake smile Dean gave probably looked constipated. Cas was family, but Dean has seen him as more than that for years. When he thought he had lost Cas in the lake, when Cas had forgotten him, when Cas had left him in purgatory, when Dean had lost Cas to Lucifer; Dean felt a sense of grief he never felt. When he had thought he was going to lose Cas again in that barn, he felt his world shifting. The little confession that Cas had made, made Dean sick to his stomach. He had wanted to hear those words for years, but as soon as Cas had said it, Dean wanted to scream.

“You misunderstood me. You’re family, Dean. But you’re also a part of me.” Blue eyes were boring into Dean’s, the sincerity in them made Dean shudder. “I’ve never understood what human’s fascination with family was, why those particular set of people were important. But you taught me the meaning of family, you made me understand the importance. I know I’ve hurt you in many ways, but I did it because I thought I was doing something right. I did it _because it was for my family_. I've been wrong many times and I've done horrible things but you've always accepted me as family. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being my family even when my real family left me behind. Angels aren’t supposed to feel but you made me feel. If I had died in that barn, I wouldn’t have regretted it because it was for you, for all of you. I love _you_ in a way I never thought I’d love. I love you because you made me feel. I love you because you gave me a purpose in life. I love you because you made me realize what I’m worth. I love you because you’re Dean Winchester. The man I fell for. You’re more than family to me.”

Dean didn’t realize he was crying until he felt Cas wipe his tears away. He leaned into the touch, welcomed the warmth that surrounded his face. The look of adoration on Cas’ face was nothing new, Dean had seen it a million times before. But knowing what that look meant now made his head spin. He didn’t know what would happen after this. They were still hunters. There were still monsters chasing after them, but for now-

“I love you, too.” The blinding smile that Cas gave him would be worth everything.

Yes, they’d make it up as they go.


End file.
